Apparatus for handling fire extinguishing materials and for producing fire extinguishing foam



BOYD 1,973,601 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING'FIRE EXTINGUISHING MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 11, 1934. F; L.

AND FOR PRODUCING FIRE axwmeuxsnme Pom Filed Oct. 25. 1931 INVENTOR O;5HER L. BOYD A TTORNE Y.

L. BOYD 1,973,601 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FIRE EXTINGUISHING MATERIALS Sept. 11, 1934'. F

AND FOR rnonucme FIRE EXTINGUISHING FOAM Filed Oct. 23.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

0/ A TTORNE manta s ept. 11, 1934 1,973,601

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FIRE EXTIN- GUISHING MATERIALS AND FOR PRODUC- INGI'IBE EXTINGUISHING FOAM Fisher 1.. Boyd, Philadelphia, Pa., aasignor to National Foam System, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 23, 1931, Serial No. 570,552

6 Claim. (Cl. 189-15) This invention relates to apparatus for the exof the foam forming substances from within said tinguishment of fires and more particularly to an chamber. apparatus for facilitating the handling of the Still another object of the invention is the promaterials employed in the production of the exvision of means for preventing the foam forming tinguishing foam. substances as discharged from the storage cham- C3 In my United States Letters Patent No. her from overflowing from the hoppers of the 1,785,723, granted December 16, 1930, is disclosed foam generator when said substances reach prean apparatus for and method of continuously determined levels in said hoppers, said means producing fire extinguishing foam. In connecbeing further operative to prevent the further iii tion with this patented apparatus, the methoddischarge of the foam forming substances from employed in producing the fire extinguishing the storage chamber while the hoppers of the foam consists in simultaneously introducing foam generator are filled to predetermined diilerent substances into separate flowing streams capacity. oi water and then'causing the streams to be Still anothr and important object of the A M united at a point'in proximity to the place of invention is the provision of means for prevent- 7 application of the foam, the fire extinguishing ing the establishment of a vacuum within the foam being produced due to the chemical reaction storage chamber such as would preclude the free which-takes place when the substances in soludischarge of the foam producing substances tion are intermingled. The substances which therefrom, this means being automatically opera- I W are preferably employed in the productionv of tive upon opening the discharge valves of the the fire extinguishing foam are aluminum sulstorage chamber.

phate and bicarbonate of soda and a suitable Other objects of the invention and advantages stabilizing agent. resulting from the details of construction therein the extinguishment of fires it is imperative of will be apparent more fully hereinafter.

25 that a continuous supply of fire extinguishing The invention consists substantially in the comfoam be produced during the continuance of the bination, construction, location and relative fire. While this may be effected by continuously arrangement of parts, all as will appear more introducing manually into the separate hoppers fully hereinafter, as shown in the accompanyof the foam producing apparatus the foam proing drawings and as finally pointed out in the 3% ducing ingredients, it has been found much more appended claims.

' effective and convenient to employ an apparatus In the saidaccompanying drawingsz-- v of the character disclosed in my co-pending ap- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the application Serial No. 350,470, filed March 28, 1929. paratus constructed in accordance with and emin this application is disclosed the apparatus for bodying the principles of the present invention,

35 handling the foam forming ingredients consistthe apparatus being shown positioned in dis- 9 ing'of a main storage chamber adapted to main: charging relation with respect to the hoppers tain in separate relation the dry foam producing of a foam producing apparatus; ingredients, in combination with means for per-v Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the apmitting the ready discharge of these substances paratus;

to into the hoppers of the foam producing appara- Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the bottus. This material handling apparatus not only tom portion of the material handling apparatus did away with the necessity for manually pouring shown in Figure 2;

the foam producing substances into the hoppers Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on of the foam generator; but it also facilitated the the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

M continuity of supply of-the substances to the Figure 5 is an end elevational viewofthe air a generator. vent controlling means;

It is among the general objects of this inven- Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 tlon to improve and increase the efficiency of but taken at right angles with respect thereto, operation of the material handling apparatus of the valve structure for the air vent being shown 59 the character disclosed in my aforesaid co-pend-. in vertical section; and ,ing application. Figure 7 is a sectionalview of the cam plate A more specific object of the prwent invention. for operating the valve controlling the air -vent. is to provide an improved valve structure for Referring now to the drawings and more parthe discharge outlets of the storage chamber ticularly to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, it will be 5 whereby to greatly facilitate the free discharge OMIYQQ that the apparatus for facilitating the 1 handling of the foam formlns. ingredle ts is shown in discharging position with respect to the foam generator, designated. generally by the reference numeral 10. For a detailed description of the construction and operation of this foam generator reference is herein made to my aforesaid Letters Patent No. 1,735,723, it being sufflcient for the present purposes to point out that this generator generally comprises a pipe or conduit 11 for supplying water from a source (not shown) through a Y-connection 12 to a pair of conduits 13 and 14. The conduits 13 and 14 are preferably united at a point in proximity to the place of application of the fire extinguishing foam. Respectively associated with the conduits 13 and 14 are a pair of hoppers '15 and 16, these hoppers beingrespectively adapted to receive the foam producing substances in the manner and for the purposes set forth in my Letters Patent aforesaid. It will be observed that the hoppers 15 and 16 are arranged inside by side relation, the upper ends thereof being open and maintained separate from each other by means of a vertically extending partition 17. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the foam producing materials which are supplied to the hoppers 15 and 18 are stored in .a large storage chamber 18 which is suitably supported by a trolley structure 19 upon an overhead track 20. This track 20 is of sufficient length to support a plurality of storage chambers 18 and is arranged in such manner that these storage chambers may be successively positioned in discharging position with respect to the foam chamber 10. It will be understood that one foam generator of the character designated by the reference numeral 10 is provided for each overhead track 20. Thus, during-the course of a fire, the first storage chamber 18 suspended from the overhead track 20 is shifted into position immediately above and in discharging relation with respect to the foam generator. when the foam forming substances have been entirely discharged from this storage chamber 18, it is moved along the track'20 to a point beyond thefoam generator whereupon asecondstorage chamber is moved into position immediately above and in discharging relation with respect to the generator. As many storage chambers as may be desired may be suspended from a single overhead track so as to provide for a continuous and \minterrupted supply of foam' forming substances to the particular generator which isassociated with that track. This arrangement not only eliminates the necessity for the manual pouring of the foam producing chemicals into the hoppers of the generator but it also simplifies the control of the equipment as a whole, since only one man is necessary for the successful operation thereof. a

As was stated above, stances arev of such museums when brought together in solution a fire extinguishing foam is produced. These substances are in the form ofdrypowdered acid and basic salts, one of these salts being supplied to the hopper and the other to the hopper 16 of the foam generator. In

order to maintain these substances in separated respectively terminate'in funnel sections 24; and" 25eachofwhichisprovidedwithanoutletopening 26. Each outlet opening 26 is controlled by v the foam forming s'uba vertically movable valve structure 2'1 the construction of which will now be described.

As appears most clearly in Figure 3, the discharge opening 26 for each of the storage compartments 22 and 23 is flanged, as at 27'. 8ecuredto thisflangebymeansofboltsfliisan annular valve seat 29, the outer peripheral edge or rim of this valve. seat being provided with a circumferentiaiiy extending shoulder 30 for a purpose to be presently described. The valve 27 is substantially in the form of a downwardly dished plate the upper or convex surface of which is provided with a covering 31 of rubber or other such resilient material. Secured to and extending axially through the valve 27 is a valve stem 32 the upper end of which is bifurcated, as at 33. The valve is supported upon the stem 32 between a nut 34 and a spring-pressed disk 35, the arrangement being such that when the valve stem 32 is drawn upwardly the valve 2'! will be drawn more or. less-tightly against its seat 29, the material 31 being compressed between the metallic body of the valve and the metallic seat 22.

In order to insure the simultaneous supply of the foam forming substances respectively contained within the compartments 22 and 23 of the storage chamber, means are provided for simultaneously actuating the valves controlling the discharge openings of said compartments 22 and 23. In order to attain this end, a shaft 38 isprojected commonly through the funnel sections 24 and 25 of the storage container 18. This shaft 36 is suitably iournalled within bearings 37 and 38 and is adapted to be oscillated by means of an operating arm 39 secured to the exteriorly projectihg end of the shaft 36. Suitably keyed to the shaft 36 are a pair of eccentric disks 40 and 41-. the eccentric disk 40 being located within the funnel section 24 and the eccentric dish 41 within the funnel section 25. Operatively associated with each of the eccentric disks 40 and 41 is-an eccentric strap 42 having an eccentric rod 42.

The lower ends of these eccentric rods 43 are respectively joined to the bifurcated ends 33 of the valve stems 32 by pins 44., These pins '44 are preferably of substantial length so as to effectively serve as means for agitating the powdered substances contained within the funnel sections of the compartments and 23 andsoloosenthe sametoinsuretheirreadydischargetherefrom. From the foregoing it will be seen that when the operating handle 39 is rotated from the po sition shown in the figures thromh an angle of 130 .both of the valves controlling the discharge openings in the bottoms of the compartments22and23willbeopenedtotheirfullest extent.

'Asappearsmostclearly inl 'iguresl and2,the container 18 is suspended from the overhead track 20 so that the discharge outlets for the compartments22and23aredisposedinasubdantially horizontal plane arranged slightly above the top edges of the hoppers i5 and 16 of the foam gm-- erator. The relative arrangement of the suspended container with respect to the dual elector issuchastopermittheformertobeshifted readily into discharging position above the hoppers 15 audio. In orderto preclude any posibility for the powdered chemicals disclnrged fromthecompartments22and23intothehoppers15and16fromflowing'overthetopedgescf 'thelattenthefunnelsections24and25areeach provided with adependingskirtorbootdii of canvasorlikefiexiblematerial."

These boots. 45, which I wardly below the horizontal plane of the discharge openings to an extent suillcient to permit their projection into the interior of the hoppers 15 and 16 when the container 18 is shifted'into the position shown in Figure 1. Due to thcliexible character of the material of which the boots are former, the boots offer no impediment to the free movement of the container 18 relatively to the foam generator. On the other hand, these boots serve most eifectively to prevent the powdered foam producing substances from overflowing the top edges of the hoppers 15 and 16, it being apparent that when these hoppers are filled to an elevation approximating that (of the bottom ends of the boots the further discharge of the chemicals into the hoppers is immediately interruptedi The boots 45 thus serve effectually to control the rate of discharge of the chemicals from the compartments 22 and 23 during the period that the valves 2'! are open. Y

Inasmuch as the compartments 22 and 23 are normally sealed throughout except at the bottom ends thereof when the valves 27 are open, a vacuum may be created in the top of each of the compartments as the chemicals are discharged therefrom. This vacuum may be of suificient degree to slow up or impede the free discharge of the powdered chemical. To counteract this, the apparatus is provided with means operative automatically upon opening the valves 27 to introduce air under atmospheric pressure into the void formed within each compartment as the chemical is discharged therefrom. This air-venting means generally comprises a conduit having a branch 47 extending vertically along one side of the apparatus and terminating in a horizontal branch 48 extending interiorly of the compartments 22 and 23. As appears most clearly in Figure 2, the branch 48 of the conduit is arranged immediately beneath the top of the container 18 and is provided with a pair of outlets 49 and 50 respectively incommunication with the compartments 22 and 23.

The bottom end of the vertical branch 47 of the conduit is connected to a valve unit 51 (see Figure 6) having the usual intake and outlet ports 52 and 53, the latter being in communication with the conduit. A valve 54, which normally maintains the port 53 closed to the atmosphere, is provided with a valve 'stem55 laterally oifset from and paralleling the eccentric shaft 36. A

spring 56 tends to maintain the valve in' closed.

position. Secured tothe eccentric shaft 38 exteriorly of the container 18 is a circular cam plate 57. This plate 57,- which is rotatable with the shaft 36 upon actuation of the "operating arm 39, is of a'diameter sufllcient to permit the engagement therewith of the air-ventyalve stem 55.- The inner surface of the plate 5'1 is inclined in such manner that upon rotation of the plate the inclined surface thereof will cause the valve stem 55 to be shifted against the force of the spring 56 to open the valve 54 andso permit air to pass through the conduit 47-43 into the compartments 22 and 23. '(See Figures 5 to 7). It will be understood, of course, thatthe'angular relation between the cam plate 57 and the eccentric shaft 36 is such that when the latter valves 27, the cam plate will permit the airvent valve 54 to be closed by the action of spring 56. Conversely, when the main valves 27 are opened, the air-vent valve is simultaneously opened to permit air under atmospheric pressure to pass into the interior of the compartments 22 and 23 so as to facilitate the discharge of the chemicals therefrom.

It will be understood that the invention as hereinbefore described is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the real spirit or general principles thereof and it is accordingly intended to claim the same broadly, as well as'speciflcally, as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:-

1. In an apparatus for handling fire-extinguishing materials, in combination, hopper means for receiving foam-forming chemicalswhich are adapted to be introduced into flowing wa- "ter whereby to produce fire-extinguishing foam; 9. storage chamber for receiving the chemicals to .be supplied to said hopper means, said storage chamber being provided with a bottom discharge outlet; means for positioning-said storage chamber immediately above and in discharging relation with respect to said hopper means; and means associated with said discharge outlet and extending freely into the top of said hopper means when said storage chamber is in discharging relation to the hopper means for precluding the overflow of said chemicals from said hopper means.

2. In an apparatus for handling fire-extinguishing materials, in combination, an opentol p d hopper for receiving a dry powdered chemical to be dissolved in a stream of water; an elevated track arranged above said hopper; a storage chamber suspended from and movable along said track-into positionimmediately above said, hopper, said chamber being provided in the bottom end thereof with a valve-controlled discharge outlet; and a flexible jacket embracing said discharge outlet and extending freely into the top and below the upperv edge of said hopper when said storage chamber is in discharging relation to the hopper means for precluding the overflow of the chemical from said hopper.

3. In an apparatus for handling fire-extinguishing materials, in combination, a dual container for receiving in separated relation dry foam-forming ingredients capable upon reacting spect to said dual hopper, said container being provided with separate valve-controlled discharge outlets, and means associated with said outlets for precluding the overflow fromsaid dual hopper of the ingredients supplied thereto from said container.

4. In an apparatus for handling fire-extinguishing materials, in combination, a dual container for receiving in separated relation dry foam-forming ingredients capable upon reacting with each other in the presence of a solvent to produce foam; a dual hopper for separafily receiving and introducing said ingredients into a solvent therefor; an elevated trackfrom which said dual container is suspended and along which is oscillated into position for closing the it is movable into discharging relationwith re- 1 spect to said dual hopper, said containerbeing provided with separate valve-controlled discharge outlets, and means associated with said outlets for precluding the overflow from said dual hopper of the ingredients supplied thereto from said container, said means .being in the forms of flexible sleeves adapted to extend downwardly into and below the top edges of the hop- 4 pers or said unitduring the operation of discentric means on said shaft and connected to said valves such that upon oscillation, of said shaft said valves are actuated in unison to control the discharge of said ingredients from said compartments.

6, In an apparatus for handlingfire-ex- Humming materials, in combination, a storage chamber divided into a pair of separate compartments for respectively receiving acid and basic foam-forming materials, each of said compartments being provided with a normally sealed top and a bottom discharge outlet, a valve operative- 1 y associated with each outlet for controlling the discharge or the materials therethrough, a vent leading from atmosphere into the interior of each compartment above the top surface of the ma-' terial contained therein, a valve in said vent, and

means operative to commonly actuate said outlet valves and said vent valve whereby all of said valves are opened and closed simultaneously.

' FISHER L. BOYD. 

